Sonowood is the leading substitute for endangered tropical timber in musical instrument making – obtained from local, sustainable forests and with outstanding tonal qualities.
Sonowood. Sets the Good Tone.
Sonowood is the leading substitute for endangered tropical timber in musical instrument making – obtained from local, sustainable forests and with outstanding tonal qualities.
The wood used in musical instruments often comes from endangered tropical forests. Now, Sonowood is here to ensure that pianos, wind and stringed instruments sound great for musicians and the planet alike. It’s made from densified wood obtained from sustainably managed local forests – with no tropical timber or plastic.
Regular spruce (bottom) and densified spruce (top)
The Solution? Densified Wood from Local Forests.
Following extensive research and development, we managed to create a method for densifying wood sourced from sustainably managed forests. This process uses domestic woods like spruce, maple or beech.
The method has allowed us to match and even surpass the highly prized physical, mechanical and acoustic properties of tropical timber. Thanks to Sonowood, there’s now a leading substitute for endangered tropical woods – with no ethical or moral concerns. It safeguards the future of traditional instrument making for stringed instruments, guitars and other plucked, wind or keyboard instruments.
Sustainable Wood for Violin Making.
The unique properties of Sonowood help luthiers to create stringed instruments with the very best tonal characteristics.
Sonowood is synonymous with exceptional hardness and density - the perfect prerequisites for acoustic and electric guitars that have to meet the highest tonal requirements.
Continuous availability at consistently high quality.
Resource-conserving approach to instrument making.
Authentic wood that’s easy to work.
Sonowood can be milled with particular precision.
Also ideal for filigree parts and inlays.
Natural wood, with no plastic composite or synthetic colors.
Using Sonowood supports sustainable local forestry.
Sonowood meets all the legal requirements, such as the EU Deforestation Regulation, and strict import and trade guidelines, like CITES.
Benefits for Musicians
No travel restrictions for the instrument.
Outstanding acoustic properties.
Sound damping comparable to ebony and fast sound conduction.
Durability and scratch-proofing thanks to fully closed pores.
Greatly reduced visible wear and tear. Much lower dirt penetration.
The hard, smooth surface ensures perfect playability.
Using Sonowood supports sustainable, low-resource domestic forestry.
Interested in Sonowood?
If You Are an Instrument Maker:
Contact us.
We will be happy to discuss your individual requirements and answer any questions you have about Sonowood square timbers made from wood from sustainably managed local forests.
Contact one of our partners. Or ask your preferred luthier about Sonowood.
We have carefully selected our partners: these respected experts have extensive experience in crafting high-quality musical instruments – and they rely on Sonowood. They will be more than happy to help you with making or modifying your instrument.
Selected Sonowood Partners for Musical Instrument Making.
More and more musical instrument makers are turning to Sonowood. We have established strong partnerships with recognized experts in instrument making, who use Sonowood square timbers to craft the parts of the instrument in close consultation with the artist, taking their requirements into account. Musicians looking for a sustainable solution for their instrument are best advised to contact one of our selected Sonowood partners.
Challenges for Instrument Makers and Musicians.
Traditional musical instruments are often made from tropical timber. However, this precious wood is in short supply and tropical forests are threatened with extinction. This makes day-to-day work harder for instrument makers and musicians alike.
Musical Instruments with Travel Restrictions
Increasing restrictions on the trade of tropical timber are placing pressure on musicians, while import restrictions for instruments made from tropical timber can cause added complications when touring. The provisions of the CITES convention on species protection mean that countless countries require import permits that must be regularly renewed.
Ecosystems Under Threat due to Rainforest Deforestation
Deforestation could totally eradicate rainforests, leading to a loss of biodiversity. Its negative impact on the environmental equilibrium and global climate is already being felt.
Limited Availability of Tropical Timber
Global overexploitation and natural disasters have hit stocks of tropical timber hard. It is becoming much more difficult to obtain tropical woods for musical instrument making in sufficient quantities and consistently high quality.
Stricter Regulatory Frameworks
Increasing numbers of guidelines and tighter regulations for importing wood are coming into force with the aim of combatting the negative impact of deforestation on the climate and biodiversity. These include the EU Deforestation Regulation in Europe and the US Lacey Act.
A New Era for Instrument Makers and Musicians.
Outstanding Sound Qualities
Instrument makers and musicians appreciate the acoustic qualities of Sonowood. The high-speed sound conduction and a damping comparable to ebony make it ideal for creating optimized sound qualities and ensuring excellent playability.
Constant Availability
The wood used is sourced from sustainably managed local forests, making the supply chains short and efficient. There are rarely any supply disruptions. Plus, the wood’s logistics paths are traceable. This means Sonowood is available in consistently high quality and is always readily available.
No Trade or Travel Restrictions
Increasing restrictions on the trade of tropical timber are placing pressure on instrument makers, while import restrictions for instruments made from tropical timber can cause added complications for touring musicians. With Sonowood, the trade restrictions do not apply. Musical instruments created using Sonowood do not need permits to cross borders and are unaffected by the terms of CITES.
100% Authenticity
Sonowood is a solid wood, not a plastic composite. It is actual wood that is only modified with biological substances, if at all. This means it can be processed in the same way as natural wood and feels the same too.
Certified Wood from Swiss Wood Solutions.
Swiss Wood Solutions is FSC®-certified (FSC®-C181622). FSC® stands for “Forest Stewardship Council®”. FSC® certification is internationally recognized and verifies that forests are being used in line with the social, economic and ecological needs of current and future generations.
“Swiss Wood” certification guarantees that the wood used is of Swiss origin and meets the highest of standards, namely that its production is environmentally friendly and transport routes are short. Swiss Wood Solutions is “Swiss Wood”-certified.
PEFC stands for “Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification”. Wood products from PEFC-certified businesses are verifiably sourced from sustainably managed forests. Swiss Wood Solutions is PEFC-certified.
Sonowood: FAQs on Sustainable Musical Instrument Making.
We recommend contacting one of our partners or asking your preferred instrument maker about Sonowood fittings. Well-respected specialist instrument makers use our square timber to make the perfect shaped pieces for your instrument, taking into account your preferences as an artist.
We will be happy to discuss your individual needs and answer any questions you have about Sonowood square timber made from wood from sustainably managed local forests.
Accolades for our Wood-based Technologies – Awards and Fundings.
Using wood-based technologies like Sonowood, Swiss Wood Solutions develops real solutions to the challenges that humans and the environment are facing today and will face in the future. Various national and global organizations have recognized this, supporting our innovations with funding programs and awards.
